Text exercises

1. True or false?

A. Decisions come as a part of the planning process.

B. In practice problems are very hard to recognize.

C. Identifying context is a key part of problem definition.

2. Define the following in English:

a) profit b) shareholders c) particular setting

d) attainment of maximum profit e) means of regulating the production f) objective

3. Give an example of truism. What truisms make it hard to come up with a sound solution in economics?

1. Do you agree that problems in textbooks are «neatly packaged*? Is it reasonable to use the examples if one cannot use the solutions in practice?

2. Do you agree that the objective of any firm is profit? What about the image and reputation? What is more important for the development of a firm? Give an example of a situation when a) profit is the objective b) reputation and image are the objectives.

4. Summarize the text in 8-10 sentences.

GRAMMAR

Past Simple vs. Past Perfect

When we give an account of a sequence of past events we usually put these events in chronological order using the past simple. If we want to refer to an event out of order – that is, an event which happened before the last event in the sequence we have written or spoken about – we can use the past perfect.

Let’s study the use of the past perfect and past simple in the following extract:

“…I wrote Clara an e-mail to thank her for the present she had given me for my birthday last week. But as soon as I pressed the ‘send’ button, I realized that I had made a mistake and sent it to her sister instead”.

Order of events: 1) gave present; 2) wrote e-mail; 3) made mistake; 4) realized mistake.

Order events are mentioned: 1) wrote e-mail; 2) had given a present (out of order); 3) realized mistake; 4) had made mistake (out of order).

Note: when we understand that we are talking about events before another past event, we don’t have to continue using the past perfect:

We bought a new car last month. We’d driven my parents’ old car for ages, but it started (had started is possible) to fall apart. We put (had put) a new engine in it, but it didn’t solve (hadn’t solved) the problems we were having.

If the order of past events is clear from the context (e.g. time expressions make it clear) we can often use either the past perfect or the past simple.

After Gwen had finished reading, she put out the light. (“Gwen finished…” is also possible)

The two leaders agreed to meet, even though earlier talks had failed to reach such an agreement (or “talks failed…”).

Also we can use the past perfect or past simple when we talk about things that we intended to do, but didn’t or won’t now do in the future:

I had hoped/hoped to visit the gallery before I left Florence, but it’s closed on Mondays.

Aron planned/had planned to retire at 60, but we have persuaded him to stay for a few more years.

Grammar exercises

1. Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Perfect).

Extract 1.

Bob (wake)____________ up early in the morning. He (feel) ____________very tired because he (sleep / not) very well the night before. A strange noise in the garden (keep) ____________ him awake. Now it (be) ____________ six o'clock and Bob (get) ____________ up and (go) ____________ to the bathroom where he (have) ____________ a cold shower to wake up. Then he (make) ____________ himself a nice cup of coffee. When Bob (look) ____________ out of the kitchen window, he (believe / not) ____________ his eyes. There (be) ____________ a bear in his garden! He (search) ____________ Bob's garden for food last night. Bob (knock) ____________ at the window. The bear (hear) ____________ that and (run) ____________ away. But what a mess the bear (make) ____________ in the garden!

Extract 2.

In the 17th century, there (be) ____________ lots of religious tensions in England. King James I (not / allow) ____________ freedom of religion in England as he (have) ____________ problems with certain religious groups in the past. That's why during his reign some people (leave) ____________ the country.

In September 1620 for example, members of the English Separatist Church (go) ____________ aboard the Mayflower to emigrate to America. Before their journey to America, they (live / already) ____________ in Holland for a while.

Now on the Mayflower, storms (make) ____________ the journey to America difficult. The Pilgrims only (reach) ____________ America after they (sail) ____________ the Atlantic for 66 days. Because of the delay, the Pilgrims (not / build) ____________ enough houses and they (not / collect) ____________ enough food when winter (begin) ____________ . By spring, half of the 100 Pilgrims (die) ____________ of hunger and cold. But then, in March 1621, the Pilgrims (meet) ____________ the friendly Wampanoag. One member of the Wampanoag, Squanto, even (know) ____________ English because several years before he (spend) ____________ some time in Europe. The Wampanoag (show) ____________ the Pilgrims how to hunt and fish. They also (give) ____________ the Pilgrims seeds to grow corn and beans. After the Pilgrims (harvest) ____________ the food in autumn, they (celebrate) ____________ their good harvest with the Wampanoag. This event is known today as the first Thanksgiving.

TEXT 2